Many telephone sets store frequently dialled numbers in a memory internal to the telephone set. When one wishes to dial a stored number one can access the number by pressing a key on the telephone set to indicate that a stored number is to be accessed and dialled. One then pushes a numeric button to indicate the number desired to be dialled For example, if a telephone can store ten telephone numbers, one might push the "1" button to dial the telephone number stored at position "1". If the "2" button were pushed, the telephone number stored at position "2" would be dialled, etc. This, of course, has the disadvantage that one must remember what number is stored at the various positions; and it also involves the use of several button pushes. Once one gets above a capacity of ten numbers, two number buttons (e.g. "1" and "5"), in addition to the "memory" button, must be pushed to initiate a telephone call.
Some telephone sets add to the above-mentioned telephone set, a list of numbers, so that they are readily available to the user for instant recall. Some do this by a simple list on the face of the telephone. This, of course, results in a loss of privacy.
More elaborate mechanisms are also used. U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,440 dated Oct. 11, 1983 by R. M. Brodbeck teaches a standalone telephone index and switch arrangement. This patent describes a relatively complex mechanism to store a relatively large number of telephone numbers.
U.S. Pat. Re. No. 31,649 dated Aug. 21, 1984 by R. M. Brodbeck also describes a relatively complex mechanism to store telephone numbers.